Devotionals

When we gather to worship the Lord, it is essential to remember that we are coming into the presence of the most holy Creator who has nonetheless chosen to show great mercy to a particular people in the person of ...Read More

Although the subject is always deeply involved in any encounter with the arts, we must recognize that there is one ultimate standard of beauty—the Lord Himself. Scripture often speaks of the “beauty of the Lord” (Ps. 27:4), and we dare ...Read More

Whether or not you agree that images have a place in our sanctuaries and church buildings, it is important to be aware of what is being communicated by the design of your church. The walls of our places of worship ...Read More

Beauty and truth go hand in hand. Truth informs the arts so that whatever is beautiful will reflect some truth about God or His creation. The arts inform the truth, for they move us to turn the words of truth ...Read More

Regardless of one’s position on images in the worship sanctuary, let us all remember that this is an issue over which many good and godly Reformed believers have differed for generations. Consequently, we owe each side respect, and we should ...Read More

As finite beings who still suffer the presence of sin, we cannot bear to see God face to face. Such a vision will be our privilege when we are glorified (1 Cor. 13:12), but until then we have to be ...Read More

Paul’s exhortation to think on what is good, excellent, and beautiful in the culture around us suggests that withdrawal into a Christian ghetto is not the way to witness to Jesus in this world. We are to live in a ...Read More

Unlike the Jerusalem temple described in today’s passage, we do not have any new-covenant specifications for church architecture. Still, whether we build a cathedral or a building resembling a theater, people will get a sense of what we think about ...Read More

The neopaganism promoted in today’s movies and television causes many believers to avoid these mediums altogether. While we must be careful about what we view, even drama can glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31). Ezekiel, for example, acted out the impending ...Read More

We have so far briefly discussed the beauty for which the priestly garments were made. These clothes reveal that we should be concerned with how we look and act when we worship the Lord. Of course, God does not require ...Read More